WWII Weapons Used in Combat!German

German Submachine Guns (MP 40)

Combat! used authentic German machine-pistols (MP-40, the ones with wooden
buttstocks are MP-38s). These weapons are slung from shoulder, have a short hand grip, and
no stock. Eric Braeden carries one in "The
Hostages," as does the German sergeant in "Odyssey." The weapon has a folding metal stock
that in Combat! is usually folded underneath the receiver of the gun, so that on
the series it looks as if the weapon just has a pistol grip. The MP-40 was originally
conceived in World War I and eventually was used by German forces on all fronts of WWII.

The MP40 (and MP38) is often referred to as a Schmeisser, both on the
series Combat! and often by troops of the time. The Schmeisser company produced a
weapon similar in design -- but the MP-40 was (manufactured by a different company) was
simpler to manufacture and was less prone to problems in the field.

Great Illustrated History of the MP-40!

Of all infantry weapons conceived during the 20th century, few were as important
as the submachine gun, a weapon designed specifically for close-quarter combat.

From the back cover:The MP40 Submachine Gun is the first in-depth study of one of the most important
weapons of World War II. It is packed with action photographs and specially commissioned
illustrations. These appear alongside the weapon's design and combat history, as well as
detailed specifications and comparison data, so that the reader can set the weapon in its
context at a glance.

From the front flap:
Of all the new infantry weapons that have made their appearance during the past century,
one of the most important to emerge was the submachine gun. Also known as the machine
pistol  the terms are interchangeable  the weapon was specifically designed
for close-quarter fighting, a type of combat to which the bolt-action rifle was unsuited.
The new infantry assault tactics developed in the latter part of World War I called for a
high degree of individual firepower at close range to use in clearing the trenches. A
pistol was useful in this respect, but it could only fire single shots and had to be
frequently reloaded; moreover, it was not very accurate. What was needed was a new weapon,
midway between apistol and a rifle, with a large-capacity magazine that would continue to
fire repeatedly while the user instinctively adjested his aim; in fact, a miniature
machine gun The MP40 Submachine Gun is the first
illustrated book to describe in detail what was arguably the best such weapon used in
World War II  the German MP40 submachine gun. It follows the path of its development
from the first SMG designs of World War I through the refinements of later post-war models
used by several nations, and its direct predecessor, the MP38, culminating in the robust,
mass-produced weapon that was used by the German armies  and their enemies  on
all fronts. Types described inside include the MP18, MP28,

Thompson submachinge gun, and later, the M3 'Grease Gun', Sten and
Russian PPSh-41. The effect of the MP40 in Germany's savage close-quarter battles is dealt
with in full, from the Blitzkrieg of 1940 throught he sands of North Africa to the snows
of Russia, and the desperate last-ditch fighting on the soil of Nazi Germany itself.
First-hand accounts bring the experience of using a MP40 in combat to life. The book also
covers the MP40 in service with other nations during and after the war.

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1: Genesis of the Machine Pistol
Chapter 2: Between the wars
Chapter 3: Machine Pistol Theory
Chapter 4: the MP38 and MP40 in Detail
Chapter 5: the MP40 in Combat
Chapter 6: Other Machine Pistols of World War II
Appendices
Index

The technical data for the MP40, its predecessors
and rivals are provided in depth, with details of each weapon's specifications.
Photographs are used to illustrate the process of stripping a MP40, and each inidividual
component is show, allowing a thorough examination of the weapon. The authoritative text
complements the photographs, describing not only how a German soldier would use his weapon
in combat, but also how he would clean and maintain it. The book shows the usual
distribution of the MP40 in the German forces.
Heavily illustrated throughout, the book includes artworks
featuring cutaway views of the MP40, and comparative tables including all of its closest
rivals...